The biggest sixes in IPL history

The Ranchi boy is a pure entertainer when it comes to hard hitting. The infamous helicopter shot is one of his specialities. Led by MS Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings was the most successful team in the history of the tournament before it got suspended in 2015.

The elimination match between Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians in the 2012 season was held at the Chinnaswamy Stadum in Bengaluru. The World Cup winning captain hit a six which measured 112 metres off James Franklin’s bowling. He is one of the leading six hitters in the history of ODI cricket, and there is no doubt the one he hit against Sri-Lanka in the final of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup is the most memorable one.

Rohit Sharma (115 Metres)

Affectionately known as the “Hitman”, Rohit Sharma has been a mainstay of the limited overs Indian team for quite some time now. The Mumbai-based player is one of the most stylish and elegant wielders of the willow in the recent times.

In the second season of the IPL, when the right hander was still with the Deccan Chargers, he hit an enormous six in the last over of their innings against the bowling of Bangladeshi pacer Mashrafe Mortaza which travelled 115 metres. The Deccan Chargers were crowned the Champions that season, with Rohit Sharma playing a pivotal role in their success. Following his stint with the Deccan Chargers, he played for Mumbai Indians and led them to two IPL championships, first in 2013 and then in 2015.

Gautam Gambhir (117 Metres)

Gautam Gambhir is an aggressive batsman who does not hesitate to call his shots, which helped India in many matches during his tenure at the International level. The southpaw played for the Delhi Daredevils in the early stages of his IPL before being brought into the fold of the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2011.

The Sawai Mann Singh Stadium is where Gambhir hit a 117 metre six against the home team, Rajasthan Royals, in 2013. Speedster S. Sreesanth was helpless as a mere spectator, as his delivery was sent to the stands with ease by his Indian teammate. Gambhir led the Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL triumphs, one in 2012 and the other in 2014, and is still trying to book a berth in the Indian cricket team after his brief return against England at Rajkot.

Ben Cutting (117 Metres)

The comparatively lesser-known cricketer on this list, the Australian all-rounder made his IPL debut in 2014 for the Rajasthan Royals. He played only 1 match during that season. A couple of years later he was roped in by the Sunrisers Hyderabad, featuring in 4 games last season. The lower order batsman scored some useful runs for them, which included a mammoth 117 metre six against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2016 IPL final; he was Man of the Match as well. The Sunrisers Hyderabad are the defending champions, and the services of a utility player like Ben Cutting will be more than useful to defend the title in the upcoming season.

Chris Gayle (119 Metres)

Arguably the best T20 batsman the world has ever seen. It will take a beating to find someone of his calibre in the near future. He is probably the most successful IPL campaigner of all time, having scored 5 centuries and 20 fifties in the 92 matches he has played. He has hit a total of 251 sixes in the IPL, which is the most by a player by quite some distance, the second being Rohit Sharma at 163.

Left-arm spinner Ali Murtaza may still have nightmares of bowling to Chris Gayle during Pune Warriors match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, where he was struck for a 119 metre six over mid-wicket by the Jamaican. Though the Chinnaswamy is a relatively smaller ground to clear, yet the distance travelled was commendable as the ball went out of the stadium, forcing the umpires to use a new ball.

Ross Taylor (119 Metres)

Ross Taylor was one of most dependable batsman for the kiwis before Kane Williamson took that honour. Taylor is a great striker of the ball and likes to play his shots in the leg side. It was during the inaugural, 2008 season of the IPL that Ross Taylor was gifted a juicy half-length delivery by country-mate Jacob Oram (who is himself a clinical striker of the ball). The right hander smashed the ball over mid-wicket for a massive maximum, which travelled 119 metres. Ross Taylor has not been very successful in his IPL career, but a player of his capabilities could win a game single handed when on song.

Robin Uthappa (120 Metres)

Unfortunate not to have enjoyed an extended International career, Robin Uthappa is a destructive top order bat with a variety of shots in his quiver. Suited perfectly for the T20 format, the Karnataka player has had an impressive IPL career and average close to 30 with 17 fifties. It was during the 2010 IPL season that he punched the ball for a 120 metre six of West Indian Dwayne Bravo’s delivery. The attacking batsman was roped in by the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014, and has been one of their most important batsmen in the squad. He will no doubt play a key role for them in the upcoming season.

Adam Gilchrist (122 Metres)

Adam Gilchrist was one of the most feared batsmen during his heyday. He and Matthew Hayden, both southpaws, formed one of the most lethal opening pairs in world cricket in the 50-over format. Gilchrist is also one of just 9 players (so far) to have scored more than one century in the IPL. Dharamsala may be the most picturesque cricket venue in the world and when Gilly is in full swing, it enhances the beauty. Playing for the Kings XI Punjab in 2011, the Australian hit a 122 metre six in reply to a poor delivery from South African Charl Langeveldt. Had Gilly hit the ball with more power, the ball could have easily landed on the foothills!

Praveen Kumar (124 Metres)

The crafty Indian pacer is the odd one out on this list. We are quite aware of what he is capable of with the cricket ball, but he is a clean hitter as well when he takes his stance at the 22 yards. Once again we back to the first season of the IPL and again to the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Yusuf Pathan’s off spin was demolished and sent to the roof after the Uttar Pradesh player was promoted up the order. Kumar hit a six that went 124 metres. He scored two more maximums in that particular match, but failed to guide RCB to victory, as visitors Rajasthan Royals snatched vital points in their away fixture.

Albie Morkel (125 Metres)

A very useful all-rounder, Albie Morkel is a player who can give his team vital runs in the tail end of an innings and can hit the ball very hard. It was due to these qualities that he got an opportunity to feature in the Chennai Super Kings team. They were phenomenal in the 2008 edition, but failed to clinch the title. It was during a league stage match that he hit Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha for a 125 metre six which went out of the Chepauk Stadium! The ball flew so high that the cameraman was unable to track it. The commentators jokingly said that the ball might have rolled on to the beach nearby.